Two wooden cabins of different eras stand at Monument 83 Lookout in the snow at the US-Canadian Border
Old and new cabins at Monument 83 Lookout

Monument 83 Lookout Ski Tour via Monument Creek Valley—North Ridge (Chuchuwanteen Mountains, BC)

Jim Brisbine·
Chuchuwanteen MountainsFavorite TripsLookout SitesManning Provincial ParkSnow Tours in British ColumbiaWinter SummitsMonument 83 Hill
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Trip Date: March 17, 2018

WSTC SPRING SKI OUTING:  MANNING PARK RESORT

Monument 83 Lookout Ski Tour

Chuwanten Creek
Monument Creek Bridge
Monument 83 Ridge
Monument 83 Hill / Lookout (~6550 ft)
(Note: “Chuchuwanteen” is spelled “Chuwanten” in Canada)

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Trip Report Summary

Region: Canadian Cascades (British Columbia)

Sub-Region: Chuchuwanteen Mountains

Area: Manning Provincial Park

Starting & Ending Point: Monument 78/83 Trailhead on Highway 3 (Elev. 3750 feet)

Way Points: Similkameen River Pedestrian Bridge & Monument 78/83 Trail junction & Chuwanten Creek Bridges & Monument Creek Bridge & Monument 83 Ridge & Monument 83 Lookout (ski tour via Monument 83 Trail)

Summit: Monument 83 Hill (ski ascent & ski descent via North Ridge)

Approximate Stats: 18 miles traveled; 3100 feet gained & lost; 6.4 hours up; 4.0 hours down.

Canadian Cascades Region Map
Chuchuwanteen Mountains Location Map

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>>> Monument 83 Ridge Ski Tour – March 15, 2013

>>> Mt Winthrop + Blizzard Peak + Monument 83 + Chuchuwanteen Loop – October 2012

Full Trip Report

While staying at Manning Park Resort as part of Lynn Tucker’s annual WSTC skiing weekend, Chris VB and I spent Saturday skiing up to Monument 83 Lookout.  Chris and Eileen and I had attempted the ski tour 5 years ago but were stopped short of the lookout due to a low snowpack and a ridiculous number (88) of blowdown trees en route.  This year, we had much more snow and far fewer trees.

Starting at the Monument 78/83 Trailhead alongside Canada Highway 3, we easily cruised up the valley-bottom trail on morning crust.  We both used fishscale-base skis with climbing skins and touring bindings.

Skiing up Valley Trail

About 1 mile up-valley, we passed a split between the Monument 78 and Monument 83 trails.  Our route followed the latter trail.

Split between the Monument 78 and Monument 83 Trails
In another mile, we crossed Chuwanten Creek on a sturdy footbridge and then began long skinning session up the valley.
Crossing Chuwanten Creek on a sturdy footbridge
After covering more than 7 miles from the trailhead, we reached a ridge crest.  This part of the trail is particularly enjoyable on skis, as it gradually winds upward through dense forest.  Most of the trail is quite wide and obvious (being an abandoned road), but we appreciated having lots of orange markers to guide us through the less obvious segments.
Following Orange Markers through the Forest
There are scores of old cross-country ski markers along the entire route, such as the one shown below.  Apparently, many decades ago, the Provincial Park folks thought this was a good ski tour.  I heartily concur, but I suspect that it rarely sees more than one party per year nowadays.
Ski Tour Marker
It was late afternoon when we finally reached the broad summit dome (6.4 hours from TH) under a heavy gray sky.
Approaching Monument 83 Lookout Cabins
Monument 83 has an interesting history and the unusual distinction of hosting two lookout cabins.  The cupola-style log cabin on the left was built in the 1920s, and the tower-supported cabin on the right was built in the 1950s.  Both were constructed by the U.S. Forest Service (or whatever they were called at the time).
Lookout Towers on Monument 83 Hill between US and Canada
The international border passes between the two cabins.  We could see the border swath extending eastward for a dozen arrow-straight miles.
Border Swath between US and Canada
An unexpected delight of this trip was being able to find the Monument 83 obelisk poking its head above the snow surface.  This obelisk stands a full 6 feet above ground surface, indicating a snow depth of about 5½ feet here.
Border Obelisk at Monument 83 Lookout
According to lookout scholars, the original (1920s-era) lookout cabin suffered from two problems.  First, it sat too low on the ground to provide an adequate view of the surrounding valleys.  Second, it sat on Canadian land.  The newer (1950s-era) cabin was designed to correct both problems.  We couldn’t determine whether the newer lookout is still staffed in the summer, but it seems to be in decent condition.
Newer lookout cabin is over 60 years old
The older cabin is holding up reasonably well, despite being over 90 years old.  It appears that the metal roof is fairly new, but little else seems to have been changed. We were able to get the door open and have a look inside.
Older lookout cabin is over 90 years old

After an hour on the summit, we headed back down.  The upper several miles of trail provided a fun and fast ski descent, whereas the middle portion was slow and tedious. We crossed the upper Chuwanten Creek bridge just at nightfall and then finished our retreat by headlamp.  It was 9:00pm (4.0 hours from summit) when we reached the trailhead to end a most splendid ski tour.

Equipment Comments

For more information regarding the various equipment that I used for this particular trip and that I typically use for this type of trip, see my gear reviews on the following pages:

>>> Backcountry Nordic Ski Touring Gear

>>> Backcountry Ski & Snowshoe Packs

>>> Wintertime Comfort Accessories

Click to enlarge…

Chris Skiing up Valley Trail
Split between the Monument 78 and Monument 83 trails
Crossing Chuwanten Creek on a footbridge with railing
Crossing Chuwanten Creek on a sturdy footbridge
Ski Tour Markers
Following Orange Markers through the Forest
Approaching Monument 83 Lookout Cabins
Old and new cabins at Monument 83 Lookout
Newer (1950s-era) Cabin on Monument 83 Hill
Border Swath between US and Canada
Border Obelisk at Monument 83
Older (1920s era) Cabin on Monument 83 Hill
Jim Standing on International Border
Looking South from Monument 83 Hill